Marine drilling rig



Dec. 9, 1958 v PLUMER 2,863,293

MARINE DRILLING RIG Filed Sept. 21, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l 5 EH EH w J ip INVENTOR. flwcwo V. PLUMER BY w, diam, away/54 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NP R I w m V L w w u w w m 7W QQ Q n d a :W J a .w\

Dec. 9, 1958 H. v. PLUMER MARINE DRILLING RIG Filed Sept. 21, 1954 Dec. 9, 1958 H. v. PLUMER MARINE DRILLING RIG 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 21, 1954 INVENTOR.

Harm LO 1 PL um 57? H. V. PLUMER MARINE DRILLING RIG Dec. 9, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 21, 1954 INVENTOR.

- 1958 H. v. PLUMER MARINE DRILLING RIG 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 21. 1954 m m m M V U. m Q M 0 w ww S m 3 \m n 1 h 3 w R l b WH HH mm. mm R. R. Q \T S \T Q\ United States Patent Ofiice 2,863,293 Patented Dec. 9, 1958 MARINE DRILLTN G RIG Harold V. Plumer, Tulsa, Okla, assignor to Noble Drilling Corporation, Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Delaware Application September 21, 1954, Serial No. 457,524 7 Claims. (Cl. 61-465) This invention relates to barge-mounting oil well drilling equipment, and more particularly to apparatus for supporting the barges above bodies of water during drilling operations.

Before drilling an oil well under a body of water it is necessary to provide a firm support or platform for the derrick and equipment associated with it. Where the water is shallow enough, the barge that carries the drilling rig can be sunk to the bottom if the barge deck or an elevated platform built thereon remains above the water. F or deep water operations, piles have been driven and the barge floated over the piles and attached to them, or a platform has been built on the piles above the water and the derrick has been erected on the platform. The driving of piles is a slow and expensive operation, and when a platform is built on the piles it is necessary to transfer all of the drilling equipment from the barge to the platform and then back again after the well is completed.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a marine drilling rig in which the drilling equipment is permanently mounted on a barge, in which the barge is lifted and firmly supported above the water at the drilling site, in which the barge carries its own lifting apparatus, and in which the lifting operation can be accomplished with a minimum of time and effort in deep water.

In accordance with this invention there are at least two columns on each side of the barge that carries a drilling derrick and the equipment for operating the derrick. The upper ends of the columns are connected to the barge at widely spaced points, such as near its corners, and when not in use the columns are inclined downward and forward from their upper connections. The lower ends of the columns on each side of the barge are held parallel by spacing means. They also support shoe means, which may include the spacing means, adapted to rest on the sea bottom when the lower ends of the columns are lowered. The columns then are swung upright, whereby the barge is supported by them. The swinging means for the columns preferably act through the barge by being pivotally connected to it and to the shoe means below. Such column-swinging means apply a. lifting force to the barge, and the rising columns hold the rising barge level and move it forward.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a side view of our marine drilling rig While the barge is still afloat;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but with the barge raised above the water;

Pig. 3 is a plan view;

Fig, 4 is a front view of the rig;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of one of the columns and the elements associated with it;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side view, similar to Fig. 1, of a modification of this invention;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of this modification; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line .lX-IX of Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, a rectangular barge 1 supports a substructure 2 on which an oil well drilling derrick 3 is mounted near the center of the barge. Also mounted on the substructure are the drawworks 4 and driving engines 5. Behind the substructure there is a house 7 which contains auxiliary equipment and living quarters for the crew. The opposite end of the barge will be referred to herein as the front end because it leads when the barge is moved into drilling position. The barge is provided with a vertical slot 8 (Figs. 3 and 4) through it that extends from back of the center line of the derrick forward through the front end of the barge, so that after a well has been drilled the barge can be backed away from the casing extending up through it. The barge floats in a body of water, such as a lake, gulf or ocean, all of which will be referred to herein for convenience as a sea.

When the barge has been floated out to the drilling location it is raised and supported on columns. Preferably, it is elevated high enough above the water to keep it from being disturbed by the wave action. In accordance with this invention the columns 10 that support the barge above the sea may be suspended from the barge as it is towed out to location. At that time the upper ends of the columns are pivotally connected to the barge and are inclined downward and forward so that they will extend down into the water no farther than necessary, as shown in Pig, 1. There are at least two, and preferably three, columns on each side of the barge and their upper ends are pivotally mounted on trunnions ll. projecting from the side of the barge near its top. The upper end of each column may be provided with a downwardly extending V-shape recess 12 (Figs. 5 and 6) in which the trunnion fits and is locked by a bolt 13 extending across the top of the recess. This type of connection permits the columns to be removed from the barge if it has to float in shallower water than will accommodate the columns in their inclined position. Four of the columns are located near the corners of the barge. If six columns are used, the additional two are placed midway between the end columns as shown.

To distribute the load over a large area of the sea bottom, the lower ends of the columns carry shoe means serving as footings. Preferably, there is a separate shoe for each pair of columns, and each extends across the barge and is pivotally connected to the lower ends of the columns at the opposite sides. Each shoe may be formed from parallel channels 15 mounted on the lower faces of large brackets i6 suspended from the columns. The flanges of the channels extend downward. The three shoes are spaced apart in such a way that the columns along each side of the barge will remain parallel to one another. This can be done by means of straight spacing members 1? connecting the three shoes. As shown in Fig. 4, the middle and rear columns on one side of the barge are connected rigidly with those on the opposite side by cross bracing 18 to help stiffen the column structure,

After the barge has been floated out to the drilling location, with the column shoes supported above the sea bottom by means about to be described, the shoes are lowered onto a level area of the sea bottom as shown in Fig. l and then a lifting force is applied to the barge to elevate it. This force may be applied through hydraulically actuated members, such as a pair of expansible cylinders on opposite sides of the barge. The lower end of such cylinder is pivotally connected with the lower end of the center column, such as by mounting it on the same pin 21 that connects the column to the underlying shoe. The upper end of the cylinder is pivotally connected in the same way as the columns to a trunnion 22. projecting from the side of the barge near the front column trunnion' 11. A pump 23 on the barge delivers hydraulic pressure to the cylinders on opposite sides of the barge and thereby causes them to expand or lengthen. The resulting upward force on the front end of the barge raises it, but as all of the columns must swing upward together, the rear columns raise the rear end of the barge at the same rate as the front end and keep the barge level. it will be seen that as the barge is raised, the rising columns will swing it forward until the columns are vertical, as shown in Fig. 2. Delivery of fluid pressure to the cylinders then is stopped, and cables 24 that are connected to the center shoe are then also fastened to the upper ends of the rear columns and tightened by turnbuckles 25 to help lock the columns in upright position. The columns are made long enough to raise the barge far enough above the 'sea to prevent it from being disturbed by the waves.

After a well has been drilled from the elevated barge, the barge can be lowered and floated away. This is done by first disconnecting the locking cables 24 from the upper ends of the rear columns and then slowly releasing pressure fro-m within the cylinders. It may be necessary, in order to startthe columns swinging backward, to pull the barge backward until the columns are off center. This can be done by another vessel or by reeling in a line fastened to an anchor behind the barge. As the barge swings backward and down to the water the well casing will pass out of the front end of the slot 8 in the barge. After the barge is afloat again, lines 24 can be used for lifting the shoes off the sea bottom and supporting them and the columns while the barge is floated to a new location.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the column structure is the same as has just been described but the columns are swung upright by different means. Instead of using hydraulic pressure to apply downward force to the lower end of a column and upward force simultaneously to the upper end of a column, the drawworks 4 on the barge is operated to reel in a cable that lifts the barge. This cable extends forward and up around a sheave 31 mounted in one side of a heavy bifurcated bracket 32 projecting from the front end of the barge. The cable extends up around a sheave 33 carried by the upper end of a long inclined boom 34, and then is reeved around other sheaves 36, 37, 38 and 39 beside sheaves 31 and 33 to give the necessary mechanical advantage. The cable can be dead ended at the bracket beside sheave 38.

The boom extends downward across the front end of the barge and beneath it to the central part of the center shoe 41, to which the lower end of the boom is pivotally connected. The boom preferably includes a pair of channels 42 disposed back to back with their flanges straddling wheels 43 journaled in the slot in bracket 32 between its sheaves, as shown in Fig. 9. When the cable 30 is reeled in by the drawworks, the lower set of sheaves is pulled toward the sheaves on the upper end of the boom and thereby the barge is pulled upward toward the upper end of the boom while the lower end of the boom pushes downward against shoe 41. While this is happening the columns are swung upward by the barge, and they in turn carry the barge forward and keep it level, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 7. Wheels 43 engage stops 44 in the boom channels when the columns are upright. The columns can be locked in that position by locking cables 46 and 47 similar to those described before.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scopeof the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A floatable marine drilling rig comprising a derrickcarrying barge adapted to float in the sea and having front and rear ends, at least two columns on each side of-the barge, means pivotally connecting the upper ends of the columns to the barge at widely spaced points, the columns being inclined downward and forward from said means and suspended from the barge while it is floating, spacing means carried by the lower ends of the columns on each side of the barge and holding the columns parallel to each other, a plurality of shoe means carried by said lower ends adapted to rest on sea bottom when said lower ends are lowered, a hydraulically actuated lifting member on each side of the barge, means pivotally connecting one end of each lifting member with one of said 7 shoe means and pivotally connecting the opposite end of the member with the barge, and means for delivering hydraulic pressure to said members to actuate them in order to apply a lifting force to the barge and to swing the columns upright with the barge.

2. A marine drilling rig comprising a derrick-carrying barge adapted to float in the sea and having front and rear ends, at least two columns on each side of the barge, means pivotally connecting the upper ends of the columns to the barge at Widely spaced points, the columns being inclined downward and forward from said means, spacing means at the lower ends of the columns on each side of the barge holding them parallel, shoe means carried by said lower ends adapted to rest on the bottom when said lower ends are lowered, a boom, means pivotally connecting one end of the boom with one of said shoe means, the boom extending upward above the front end of the barge, vertically spaced sheaves connected with the upper end of the boom and to the front end of the barge, a cable reeved around the sheaves, and means on the barge for reeling in the cable to lift the barge toward the upper end of the boom, whereby the columns will be swung upright and will carry the barge forward with them.

3. A rig as defined in claim 2, in which said boom has laterally projecting pairs of flanges along its opposite sides, and wheels between said flanges supported from the barge.

4. A marine drilling rig comprising a derrick-carrying barge adapted to float in the sea and having front and rear ends, at least two columns on each side of the barge, means pivotally connecting the upper ends of the columns to the barge at widely spaced points, the columns being inclined downward and forward from said means, spacing means at the lower ends of the columns on each side of the barge holding them parallel, shoe means carried by said lower ends adapted to rest on sea bottom when said lower ends are lowered, an inclined boom, means pivotally connecting the lower end of the boom with one of said shoe means beneath the barge, the boom extending forward and upward past the front end of the barge, upper sheaves supported by the upper end of the boom, lower sheaves supported by the front end of the barge beside the boom, a cable anchored at one end and reeved around said upper and lower sheaves, and means on the barge for reeling in the other end of the cable to cause the cable to pull the barge toward the upper end of the boom, whereby the columns will be swung upright and will carry the barge forward with them.

5. A marine drilling rig comprising a derrick-carrying barge adapted to float in the sea and having front and rear ends, at least two trunnions projecting from each side of the barge at widely spaced points near its top, a column inclined downward and forward from each trunnion and having a trunnion-receiving recess in its upper end, removable means normally extending across the open side of each recess to lock a trunnion therein, spacing means at the lower ends of the columns on each side of the barge holding them parallel, shoe means carried by said lower ends adapted to rest on sea bottom when said lower ends are lowered, a boom, means pivotally connecting one end of the boom with one of said shoe means, the boom extending upward above the front end of the barge, block and tackle connected with the upper end of the boom and to the front end of the barge and including a cable, and means on the barge for reeling in the cable to lift the barge toward the upper end of the boom, whereby the columns will be swung upright and will carry the barge forward with them.

6. A floatable marine drilling rig comprising a derrickcarrying barge adapted to float in the sea and having front and rear ends, at least two columns on each side of the barge, means pivotally connecting the upper ends of the columns to the barge at widely spaced points, the columns being inclined downward and forward fro-m said means and suspended from the barge while it is floating, spacing means carried by the lower ends of the columns on each side of the barge and holding the columns parallel to each other, a plurality of shoe means carried by said lower ends adapted to rest on sea bottom when said lower ends are lowered, a stiff elongated member having one end pivotally connected with one of said shoe means and extending upward therefrom, means secured to the barge adjoining said member for movement lengthwise of the latter, and means for exerting a force simultaneously upward against said movable means and downward against said elongated member for applying an upward force to the barge to swing the inclined columns upright in order to raise and support the barge.

7. A floatable marine drilling rig comprising a derrickcarrying barge adapted to float in the sea and having front and rear ends, the barge having a. vertical opening through it for drilling in the sea bottom, at least two columns on each side of the barge, trunnions projecting from the opposite sides of the barge at widely spaced points, the upper ends of said columns being provided with trunnion-receiving recesses, removable means locking the trunnions in said recesses to pivotally connect the columns to the barge, the columns being inclined downward and forward fro-m said means and supported thereby while the barge is floating, spacing means at the lower ends of the columns on each side of the barge holding them parallel, shoe means carried by said lower ends adapted to rest on sea bottom when said lower ends are lowered, a stiff elongated member having one end pivotally connected with one of said shoe means and extending upward therefrom, means secured to the barge adjoining said member for movement lengthwise of the latter, and means for exerting a force simultaneously upward against said movable means and downward against said elongated member for applying an upward force to the barge to swing the inclined columns upright in order to raise and support the barge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,327,118 MacKnight Aug. 17, 1943 2,367,784 Knoizen et al. Jan. 23, 1945 2,398,351 Baker Apr. 16, 1946 2,505,832 Lange May 2, 1950 2,550,823 King May 1, 1951 2,600,761 Halliburton June 17, 1952 2,656,058 Foote Oct. 20, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,100 Great Britain May 1, 1860 549,562 Germany of 1932 

